Brian Dickie tag:typepad.com,2003:weblog-1406992015-08-01T13:44:02+01:00Life after 50 years in opera and still counting......TypePadOff I go again!tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00d83451c0b569e201bb085c3af8970d2015-08-01T13:44:02+01:002015-08-01T13:44:02+01:00I have a whole day of travelling ahead - flying from Buenos Aires to Mexico with a 90 minute layover changing planes in Panama. I will be lucky to get to my Mexico City hotel by midnight! But there is...BD

I have a whole day of travelling ahead - flying from Buenos Aires to Mexico with a 90 minute layover changing planes in Panama. I will be lucky to get to my Mexico City hotel by midnight! But there is much to look forward to tomorrow and Monday. I will be meeting up with Francisco Araiza for the auditions on Monday. And we should make our biennial visit to eat worms in a nice restaurant adjacent to the Bellas Artes. I hope he makes it in time for this seasonal delicacy - he is flying in from his holiday home in Cancun.

But for now, Saturday morning here in Buenos Aires, its patience to survive and even enjoy the journey!

Two demonstrationstag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00d83451c0b569e201bb085c0e81970d2015-07-31T23:30:13+01:002015-07-31T23:57:47+01:00The last 24 hours have seen two demonstrations here in Buenos Aires of very different kinds. Yesterday evening there was a demonstration, an outpouring of enthusiastic appreciation, directed at Martha Argerich after her performance of Beethoven's Piano Concerto number 2,...BD

The last 24 hours have seen two demonstrations here in Buenos Aires of very different kinds.

Yesterday evening there was a demonstration, an outpouring of enthusiastic appreciation, directed at Martha Argerich after her performance of Beethoven's Piano Concerto number 2, as his first concerto is called! And stunning it was too, and the audience let her have it, and would not let her go, and she came back again and again and they still wouldn't stop! She is, as they say here, a "monster". Altogether extraordinary music making on top of her astonishing technical perfection. And Daniel Barenboim accompanied her with the WEDO with affection of course. These two Argentine artists are very special, and to see them together at the Colón was a privilege.

This afternoon on my way to another audition at the Colón I encountered another demo - this one in support of demands for devolution. I don't think that it will come to this is Scotland.....but you never can tell!

Anyway this one was peaceful and colourful, and somewhat noisy.

I am now off on a pilgrimage to Jutta Ohlsson's favourite restaurant, Edelweiss, where I had so many wonderful lunches and dinners with her and colleagues over the years. This evening we will remember her and toast her - we will shed a tear and we will dine well, as she always did, with gusto and laughter.

Buenos Airestag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00d83451c0b569e201bb085b7ee0970d2015-07-30T22:00:55+01:002015-07-30T22:01:20+01:00Teatro Colón, Buenos Aires 11:40 am July 30 2015 I am here in Buenos Aires for the ninth time - but it is a sad visit for our great friend and colleague, Jutta Ohlsson, who had looked after Neue Stimmen...BD

Teatro Colón, Buenos Aires 11:40 am July 30 2015

I am here in Buenos Aires for the ninth time - but it is a sad visit for our great friend and colleague, Jutta Ohlsson, who had looked after Neue Stimmen and me over the years, passed away just a few months ago leaving a terrible void. She will be terribly missed by the generations of artists she cared for on their visits to the Colón over the forty years she was there. And the many young singers whom she nurtured, and guided through the Neue Stimmen process, owe her a huge debt. I know they are grateful, and I am sad that the next generation will not have that inspiration.

We had the auditions this afternoon and there is a waiting list candidate and another singer whom I am hoping to hear tomorrow who was not with us today following the date change.

I will cheer myself up this evening with a visit to the Colón where Daniel Barenboim and his West-Eastern Divan Orchestra have a concert with none other than the greatest of them all, Martha Argerich. This is, as you may imagine, a major musical treat for me!!! Of which more in due course.

Thais in São Paulotag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00d83451c0b569e201b7c7b5c414970b2015-07-29T14:33:19+01:002015-07-29T14:34:34+01:00The 2008 Turin production of Thais by Stefano Poda has been a huge success here in São Paulo, and I had the pleasure of being at a performance yesterday evening. And a great evening in the theatre it was with...BD

The 2008 Turin production of Thais by Stefano Poda has been a huge success here in São Paulo, and I had the pleasure of being at a performance yesterday evening. And a great evening in the theatre it was with a piece that is far from easy to make its effect. Clearly great care was lavished on it with exceptional dancers, fine work by the chorus, and a production that had clearly been thoroughly well prepared in this revival. Impressive!

And it was so encouraging to find an audience of much less than the usual average age that one encounters in the UK - and drawn as well from a wide ranging socio economic demographic. The secret is of course cost of access. The top price in this lovely theatre (built 1911) is £24, middle price £16, and bottom price £12. The enthusiasm and appreciation of the audience was heart warming to witness. So opera is alive and well for the younger crowd in São Paulo at least!

My auditions here yesterday yielded one really excellent finalist as well as three for the waiting list. I am in Buenos Aires tomorrow (flying from here this evening) and go on to Mexico City on Saturday. These two cities should yield the final few that we need.......but leaving space for a South African or two - I am off to Cape Town on August 10!

São Paulotag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00d83451c0b569e201b8d13e57c1970c2015-07-27T23:06:14+01:002015-07-27T23:06:14+01:00The Tryp Hotel, São Paulo I am here in São Paulo, the largest city of South America, safely installed yesterday evening in the charming hotel I stayed in last time I was here, the Tryp, in the unpromisingly named but...BD

The Tryp Hotel, São Paulo

I am here in São Paulo, the largest city of South America, safely installed yesterday evening in the charming hotel I stayed in last time I was here, the Tryp, in the unpromisingly named but delightful neighbourhood of Higienópolis!

Its a horrible long flight from London - over 11 hours for the 6 thousand miles. But British Airways were efficient, on time, and comfortable, and the theatre kindly sent a car to take me to the hotel. Perfect under the circumstances!

My auditions are tomorrow afternoon, and then there is the treat of Thais at the opera. I have not seen the piece since Nice in 1997.

The Higienópolis shopping centre.........!

I spent my morning off today going no further than the immediate area around here - it was a glorious day, 25 degrees and not a cloud. And this part of town is leafy and really pretty with some interesting buildings, largely residential. But there is an excellent shopping centre where I found Ráscal when I was here before. I had a good lunch there and will return for supper this evening.

São Paulo gives the impression of being a huge modern prosperous city with an enormous comfortable middle class of the kind that is disappearing from the US and the UK. Of course there is more to Brazil than meets the eye in Higienópolis - the name tells it all!

The Buenos Aires Park is near by - full of young families at play, and old men sitting with shirts off sunning themselves on what must presumably be early spring here in the southern hemisphere. I was glad to see that tree hugging is also a Brazilian thing!

I am off to supper now and if I can get a good night's sleep and defeat the comparatively modest time change of only four hours I hope to go further afield tomorrow before the auditions.

Ready for South Americatag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00d83451c0b569e201bb0858119b970d2015-07-25T21:16:59+01:002015-07-25T21:16:59+01:00I have had a nice quiet day in London, including a long walk back from the King's Road across the Albert Bridge to home after a shopping trip. I have auditions in São Paulo on Tuesday, then to Buenos Aires...BD

I have had a nice quiet day in London, including a long walk back from the King's Road across the Albert Bridge to home after a shopping trip. I have auditions in São Paulo on Tuesday, then to Buenos Aires and Mexico City and back to London on August 4. In good time for the opening of the Ravel Double Bill at Glyndebourne on August 8.

There was a respite from yesterday's appalling rain - but there is more tomorrow - I will avoid it, leaving on the 111 hour flight to Brazil at 9:35 am. Meanwhile our lovely Thames at Chelsea/Battersea, was looking good!

A very special eveningtag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00d83451c0b569e201bb08576d56970d2015-07-24T10:43:49+01:002015-07-24T10:47:53+01:00Once in a very rare while there is a performance which takes us to a different level, to beyond the borders of reasonable expectation, a performance and production so superbly assembled and executed that quality and excellence must be redefined....BD

Once in a very rare while there is a performance which takes us to a different level, to beyond the borders of reasonable expectation, a performance and production so superbly assembled and executed that quality and excellence must be redefined. And yesterday evening was such an occasion - Glyndebourne's remarkable new production of Handel's Saul.

Much will be written about this production by more eloquent and articulate others over the coming days - so I will not attempt to do it justice. However the profound effect that the performances of the Saul and David, Christopher Purves and Iestyn Davies, had on me must be confessed to - extraordinary channels for the genius of Handel. The Lear/Saul performance by Purves (seen above) will live in our memories as an extraordinary piece of acting/singing where his frightening inhabiting of the character made time stop. Then the still but muscular, and heavenly beauty, of Iestyn Davies's singing of David, was a supreme achievement by this amazingly gifted artist.......when its like this the mystery of the effect of music is imponderable.

Ivor Bolton has grown over the years to be an inspiration in this repertoire, and in much else. Here is another man of great distinction who joined the music staff at Glyndebourne as a very young man all those years ago. He is a great credit to the system. He is now back for the first time in 15 years having been chorus master and music director of the touring company in the last decades of the last century! He has embraced this project and been embraced by Glyndebourne again - that is clear.

As for Barrie Kosky? I just have to resist further superlatives to describe this magician. Suffice to say, and colleagues will understand this so well, he allowed the extended overture to be played with no distracting nonsense. Music first - ohimè what a miracle! This is the production and performance of a lifetime - do NOT miss it........oh and by the way it is worth the trip for the superb Glyndebourne Chorus whose contribution to the evening was no less overwhelming.

Holland Park Lakmétag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00d83451c0b569e201b8d13b5e4b970c2015-07-21T18:21:50+01:002015-07-21T18:21:50+01:00When I was Artistic Director of Wexford all those years ago (1967-73) I made a mark with productions of 19th French opera repertoire that was not so widely performed in those days. We began in 1967 with Roméo et Juliette...BD

When I was Artistic Director of Wexford all those years ago (1967-73) I made a mark with productions of 19th French opera repertoire that was not so widely performed in those days. We began in 1967 with Roméo et Juliette(yes, a rarity in those days), continued with La Jolie Fille de Perth (still little performed) and went on to Les Pecheurs de Perles and Lakmé.

I have always retained a particularly sentimental attachment to Lakmé. It was something of a sensation at Wexford because of the appearance by the remarkable Martinique soprano Christiane Eda-Pierre in the title role. And she fell in love with Wexford and returned to sing in Pecheurs de Perles as well as Bellini's Il pirata.

So it was with huge pleasure that I went to Holland Park on Saturday evening to see Lakmé for the first time in more than 40 years! And I was not disappointed. It is to James Clutton's huge credit that he produced this piece at all, and to have cast it so beautifully was a considerable achievement. There was pleasure to be had from the whole cast - a wonderful pair of young men sung and played by Robert Murray and Nicholas Lester, and an impeccably sung Lakmé from Fflur Wyn. And the excellent Holland Park Opera Chorus made a fine contribution......what gorgeous music this is and what a pleasure to wallow in it again!

I am having a quiet week in sunny London, but off to Glyndebourne again on Thursday for the opening of Saul- then to Brazil, Argentina, and Mexico on Sunday - away for 10 days.

Three day catch up!tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00d83451c0b569e201bb0854e466970d2015-07-19T11:06:38+01:002015-07-21T17:55:06+01:00Glyndebourne's new production of Die Entführung has been generally well received. David McVicar has a track record of producing productions of classical integrity and full of detail - and always visually a feast. And Glyndebourne has the resources and production...BD

Glyndebourne's new production of Die Entführung has been generally well received. David McVicar has a track record of producing productions of classical integrity and full of detail - and always visually a feast. And Glyndebourne has the resources and production values that ensure that the vision is superbly executed. This production was of course no exception.

I am particularly fond of this less popular of Mozart's great operas - its humanity is scarcely less powerful, even in this Singspiel form, than that in the greatest of his opere serie - Idomeneo. And requires no less eloquent and glorious singing. I did rather hanker after Margaret Price and Ryland Davies. Memories are too long!

We were treated however to a remarkable Osmin - Tobias Kehrer. He has it all and that is very rare to find. All in all a fascinating evening, not least to witness the experiment of including ALL the dialogue, and for the revelation of a good deal of music from the Bärenreiter critical edition that many of us had never heard before - cuts opened, some interesting "decoration" as well as some very different music, notably a version of Belmonte's Act 2 aria Wenn der Freude Tränen fliessen. It will be interesting to see whether this becomes the new "standard" edition. I must do some research!

My next Glyndebourne trip is for Handel's Saul on Thursday - a wonderful vehicle for the remarkable Glyndebourne Chorus.

We began the morning with a dodgy situation for England - it looked as though they would come through with Ben Stokes and captain Alastair Cook hanging in there. But disappointingly Stokes went for 87 and Cook for 96. We needed huge scores from them both........now it seems certain that Australia will win this match, if not already today then tomorrow....

Alastair Cook, out for 96, walks sadly off..........

More about Lakmé later - I am off to lunch with family......

Sussextag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00d83451c0b569e201b7c7af1c71970b2015-07-15T21:49:43+01:002015-07-15T21:49:43+01:00I had a few hours in Sussex today visiting my younger son and family. This meant a short wait at Lewes Station before transferring to a train for Berwick.......Lewes has a pretty station ("can such things be pretty?" you ask...BD

I had a few hours in Sussex today visiting my younger son and family. This meant a short wait at Lewes Station before transferring to a train for Berwick.......Lewes has a pretty station ("can such things be pretty?" you ask - well yes, they do their best)

I was fortunate to meet up with Brindley Sherratt on the train back - pure chance. He was on his way, via Gatwick, to Aix where he is singing Bottom in Robert Carsen's famous production of Britten's Dream. Brin lives in nearby Arlington - sensible man to move out of London! He is looking forward to his debut in my beloved Chicago at the beginning of their next season. Lucky them, lucky him!

I will be back in Sussex tomorrow - for Glyndebourne's Entführung. More about that on Friday!

Jon Vickers 1926-2015tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00d83451c0b569e201b8d137e898970c2015-07-14T19:13:36+01:002015-07-14T19:28:51+01:00And so has gone one of the very greatest - and for opera lovers of my generation growing up in London an inspiration from our teenage years onwards. Jon Vickers was a member of the Royal Opera company in the...BD

And so has gone one of the very greatest - and for opera lovers of my generation growing up in London an inspiration from our teenage years onwards. Jon Vickers was a member of the Royal Opera company in the 1950s, one of the many remarkable artists from the British Commonwealth, in his case from Canada, who included Joan Sutherland, Louis Quilico, John Shaw, Robert Savoie, André Turp, and Joseph Rouleau, who adorned Covent Garden in the 1950s and 1960s.

Garricktag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00d83451c0b569e201b7c7ac3f11970b2015-07-10T10:59:42+01:002015-07-10T10:59:42+01:00We had our private AGM at the Palace Theatre on Monday. This comment appeared in The Guardian today!BD

Garsington again.......tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00d83451c0b569e201b8d1355b82970c2015-07-09T18:30:57+01:002015-07-09T18:32:57+01:00I was back at Garsington yesterday evening, for the Cosi fan tutte production which caused some controversy. The important thing is that there was a splendid cast, dominated by the Alfonso of Neal Davies who would be distinguished in this...BD

I was back at Garsington yesterday evening, for the Cosi fan tutte production which caused some controversy. The important thing is that there was a splendid cast, dominated by the Alfonso of Neal Davies who would be distinguished in this role on any stage on the world. A most excellent artist completely in his element.

The rest of the cast in this team opera par excellence were a well balanced group of young singers, with Andreea Soare and Kathryn Rudge as the sisters, and Robin Tritschler and Ashley Riches as the young men. These are all young artists with promising futures - to be watched.

Alfonso's partner in plot was Lesley Garrett as Despina - still in fine form after a wonderful career which continues. She was our delightful Damigella in the Glyndebourne Poppea of 1984. And Garsington's Artistic Director, Douglas Boyd, presided over an outstanding musical performance.

I pitched my picnic on the upper terrace of the theatre thus having a bird's eye view of beautiful Garsington, above towards the lake and below towards the garden. It is a lovely place, and the house was full - and the restaurant and picnic tents likewise. The 2015 opera season ends this weekend. And the 2016 season has been announced - a really attractive programme.

Garsington weekendtag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00d83451c0b569e201b7c7a9fe31970b2015-07-06T15:26:36+01:002015-07-06T15:26:36+01:00It was a mixed weather weekend at Garsington, glorious perfect English summer afternoon on Saturday - and cloudy yesterday. But even so yesterday the place looked classically beautiful, with the very English garden and outbuildings providing as elegant a "foyer"...BD

It was a mixed weather weekend at Garsington, glorious perfect English summer afternoon on Saturday - and cloudy yesterday. But even so yesterday the place looked classically beautiful, with the very English garden and outbuildings providing as elegant a "foyer" as any opera house could wish for!

But the opera is the thing - and a memorable performance on Saturday of Britten's last opera, Death in Venice, conducted by the definitive and peerless Steuart Bedford, was the finest offering of this year's Garsington Opera. The central performance by Paul Nilon has been rightly acclaimed, and the overall ensemble put together by the excellent Garsington team provides support of the greatest quality in every detail. William Dazeley impresses in his multiple roles as the Traveller etc.........another great feather in this distinguished baritone's cap.

Yesterday we had Richard Strauss' Intermezzo, a curiosity which had huge success at Glyndebourne in the 1970s and 80s, with Elisabeth Soderstrom and Felicity Lott successively taking on the central role of Christine. Garsington provided an excellent production by Bruno Ravella who managed to solve all the many problems caused by the episodic structure of the piece. It was a pleasure to hear it again - for the first time in more than 30 years.......and as always Garsington assembled a cast of strength down to the last little part, with striking performances especially from Sam Furness (Baron Lummer) and Oliver Johnston as Stroh. Mary Dunleavy was the last minute replacement Christine and Garsington is fortunate to have secured her - she saved the day with great distinction, and was a fine partner for Mark Stone's elegant and personable Robert.

Next and last stop - Cosi fan tutte on Wednesday. Meanwhile there is much family stuff to enjoy as my youngest daughter comes to the end of her primary education - sports day and a musical, to add to a Cadogan Hall concert last week.

This evening to the Garrick AGM - a different form of theatrical entertainment!

Guillaume Telltag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00d83451c0b569e201bb084cc834970d2015-07-03T11:14:34+01:002015-07-03T11:19:32+01:00Photo: Tristram Kenton/for the Guardian I hugely enjoyed Guillaume Tell at the Royal Opera House yesterday evening. The musical performance inspired by Antonio Pappano was at the highest level. The superlative ROH chorus were stars of the show up there...BD

Photo: Tristram Kenton/for the Guardian

I hugely enjoyed Guillaume Tell at the Royal Opera House yesterday evening. The musical performance inspired by Antonio Pappano was at the highest level. The superlative ROH chorus were stars of the show up there with Gerald Finley and John Osborn. And the rest of the ingredients were as distinguished as it gets down to the last of the minor roles......if there are such things. Major artists such as Michael Colvin and the superlative Jemmy of Sofia Fomina, to mention just two, brought such quality of detail and distinction to the musical performance. And Pappano's orchestra emulates Levine's orchestra at the Met as being, arguably, the finest in town.

The production, you ask, after all the controversy? Well it appeared to me that "adjustments" must have been made to the "offending scene". There was not a boo within earshot. Uncomfortable it was certainly, but the dramatic point was made without compromise to the "artistic integrity" of the, I have to assume, different first version. The rest of the production is as reported - for me it told the story clearly and allowed the cast to deliver Rossini's extraordinary final opera in all its musical glory.

Tomorrow I at last make my first visit this year to Garsington - Death in Venice. And Intermezzo on Sunday. Then on Wednesday I will do the Così!

Cooling downtag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00d83451c0b569e201b7c7a851e6970b2015-07-02T16:39:13+01:002015-07-02T16:39:13+01:00I have been taking it easy since I got back on Monday. But now off to Guillaume Tell at the Royal Opera House. A long evening - more tomorrow!BD

I have been taking it easy since I got back on Monday. But now off to Guillaume Tell at the Royal Opera House. A long evening - more tomorrow!

Sunday in Tbilisitag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00d83451c0b569e201b8d12fb3cc970c2015-06-29T14:11:20+01:002015-06-29T21:36:13+01:00My day in Tbilisi yesterday began with the twenty minute walk up to the Conservatory from my hotel, the Ambasadori where I have stayed on each of my previous visits to Tbilisi. It is the very antithesis of the standard...BD

My day in Tbilisi yesterday began with the twenty minute walk up to the Conservatory from my hotel, the Ambasadori where I have stayed on each of my previous visits to Tbilisi. It is the very antithesis of the standard Euro-American chain establishment - a delightful and perfectly comfortable one-off in a convenient and pretty quarter of town. Recommended, unless you absolutely cannot live without the Marriott experience which is available in town if you need it!

It was very hot yesterday but tolerable when I climbed the gentle gradient to Rusteveli Avenue. Georgia is a Christian country so the people were out for morning services - and so were the stall holders……..

My auditions in the Conservatory were once again an impressive display of the results of the vocal pedagogy here - remarkable voices with superb technique - and not afraid to use those voices. But a word of caution - the Soviet tradition seems to give priority to the display of full voice to the virtual exclusion of attention to text driven shading and dynamic range. This of course diminishes the impact however magnificent the vocal material. Nevertheless we will see and hear some Georgians at the finals in October - they will be noticed!!

Alas some of the Armenians scheduled to come to Tbilisi from Yerevan for the original date two weeks ago did not make it yesterday. That was disappointing.

And so at around 3 pm I returned down Rusteveli Avenue and past the famous Rusteveli Theatre (above), to the hotel, the mile walk downhill this time - just as well in the oppressive heat. A couple of hours in the cool of the hotel and I then went out to enjoy the little area around Shavteli Street which includes the oldest church in Tbilisi. And then to another fine supper at the Café Gabriadze.

Entrance to the Anchiskhati Basilica, Tbilisi 6:30 pm June 28 2015

This morning was indeed an early one, waking at 4:45…….and an eight hour journey back to London. Where I now am! Its 1:45 pm.

Finished for the time being......tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00d83451c0b569e201b7c7a61449970b2015-06-29T02:11:20+01:002015-06-29T02:11:20+01:00I have finished the European part of Neue Stimmen at last - and this morning fly back to London after just thirty six hours in Tbilisi. I can now calm down a bit before the last two laps - Brazil,...BD

I have finished the European part of Neue Stimmen at last - and this morning fly back to London after just thirty six hours in Tbilisi. I can now calm down a bit before the last two laps - Brazil, Argentina and Mexico leaving on July 26, and South Africa in August.

There is plenty of opera coming up, Glyndebourne, Garsington and Guillaume Tell at the Royal Opera House. Can never have too much of it!

Back in Tbilisitag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00d83451c0b569e201b8d12f075f970c2015-06-27T20:56:14+01:002015-06-27T20:56:14+01:00I am here is this delightful place after a nearly five hour flight from Amsterdam on Georgian Airlines, the proud possessor of just six aircraft, including two 737s. Is this the world's smallest national airline? Anyway it got me here...BD

I am here is this delightful place after a nearly five hour flight from Amsterdam on Georgian Airlines, the proud possessor of just six aircraft, including two 737s. Is this the world's smallest national airline? Anyway it got me here - I will be returning to London on Monday via Istanbul on Turkish Airlines.

Café Gabriadze 8:30 pm June 27 2015

Behind my hotel there is a delightful simple restaurant, the Café Gabriadze - just the place for a quick supper. I was joined by our representative here, Nana Sharikadze from the Tbilisi Conservatory. She does a wonderful job dealing with all the conservatory's international relations, as well as being a professor of musicology, and a passionate advocate of the internationalisation of higher education. This for us is a perfect arrangement and she pours her heart and soul into everything she does. So fortunate.

We have a long day of auditions tomorrow - a good list starting at the relaxed hour of 11 am for a change.

Back in Amsterdamtag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00d83451c0b569e201b8d12ea8da970c2015-06-26T20:40:51+01:002015-06-27T08:55:56+01:00View from my room at 21:46 this evening June 26 2015 Once again I fought my way through Schiphol Airport, Amsterdam's nightmare point of entry, to get back here this evening to hear the two Georgian singers. But it was...BD

View from my room at 21:46 this evening June 26 2015

Once again I fought my way through Schiphol Airport, Amsterdam's nightmare point of entry, to get back here this evening to hear the two Georgian singers. But it was so worthwhile to make the effort. The two young men, one 25 and the other 28, are of prodigious talent. There are some exceptional singing teachers in Tbilisi evidently. And this augurs well for my trip to this beautiful city tomorrow. There should be 25 additional ones singing for me on Sunday. There are some from Armenia and Russia, but the majority are Georgian - a source of fine singers recognised increasingly by the world's opera houses.

Back to Schiphol - it has already grown too large. A single terminal just keeps growing and is a nightmare to navigate and a trial to walk through if you manage to find your way first time. And now "they" are trying make it even bigger - a shopping centre with gates for aircraft which are much more difficult to find than hand bags. Non stop construction - oh dear.

Amsterdamtag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00d83451c0b569e201b7c7a454d5970b2015-06-25T08:57:27+01:002015-06-25T12:55:03+01:00Here I am for a full day of auditions at the Conservatory - a list of around 50. I then skip back to London this evening but return here tomorrow evening to hear two Georgian singers who are taking part...BD

Here I am for a full day of auditions at the Conservatory - a list of around 50. I then skip back to London this evening but return here tomorrow evening to hear two Georgian singers who are taking part in the Belvedere competition and will therefore be unable to sing for Neue Stimme in Tbilisii on Sunday........complicated and exhausting! But we get going now.

And I had a goodish morning and an excellent lunch break - Amsterdam looking pretty!

Praguetag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00d83451c0b569e201b7c7a35bbb970b2015-06-23T21:15:17+01:002015-06-23T21:27:35+01:00This is the first time that Neue Stimmen has held auditions in Prague. And the competition has been going for 28 years.....We had a most interesting mix today - singers from no less than 12 different countries. We had one...BD

This is the first time that Neue Stimmen has held auditions in Prague. And the competition has been going for 28 years.....We had a most interesting mix today - singers from no less than 12 different countries. We had one definite finalist, and a couple of exceptional singers who may very well get through when we finally deal with the enormous waiting list.

The people at the National Theatre (Národní Divadlo) were generous hosts adding to the pleasure for me of being in this city again. I first came here in 1967, and again in 1968 - historic days. And I have been back here only a handful of times since since, last I think in 1993. It is a lovely city, quite unspoilt by the destruction of war inflicted on Dresden, just a couple of hours to the north.

It was a particular pleasure to go on a long walk around the city after the auditions. There were three lovely hours of sunshine to enjoy. The Vltava river (known to musicians of course from Smetana's Má Vlast) dominates the city - all in all it is a special place, now of course a major tourist magnet, rather different from the 1960s........

Tomorrow I am off to Amsterdam in the afternoon, but I hope to get to the Estates Theatre the significance of which I need hardly emphasise.

Meanwhile, if any of you are in Prague, do try to get to an excellent Argentine steak house, the Grand Fierro, well worth a special effort.

Two heavy daystag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00d83451c0b569e201bb08467db7970d2015-06-22T07:50:52+01:002015-06-22T07:50:52+01:00We managed to hear 120 singers in the two days here in Berlin. And there was a handful of hugely talented young people amongst them. But, as ever, we had a sequence of excellent singers unfortunately lacking the "unique selling...BD

We managed to hear 120 singers in the two days here in Berlin. And there was a handful of hugely talented young people amongst them. But, as ever, we had a sequence of excellent singers unfortunately lacking the "unique selling points" that elevate the very good to the excellent level. But a yield of six top class singers from 120 is about par for the course.

The real hero of these two days in the large rehearsal room at the Berlin Staatsoper's temporary home at the Schiller Theatre were the two pianists. We have been blessed for some years now in having Jonathan Alder and Sebastian Stoermer to play for our Berlin auditions. They are two remarkable men who give essential support at the highest level to these auditions. Their ability to do ten hour days and play as superbly at 7:30 pm as they were playing at 10 am is remarkable. It makes such a difference.......

Next stop is Prague - a four hour train journey from here and a mere 32 singers to be heard there tomorrow. A light load after the last two days.

Meanwhile I have managed to keep track of the Cardiff competition. It must have been a close run thing at the end. With a simple scoring system of each juror putting down their favoured order 1-5 there is room for anomalous results, and potential juror's remorse! Whether there was in this case we will never know - but congratulations to the winners. Each of these finalists will be heard again - doing well in Cardiff makes a difference.

Off we go again.......tag:typepad.com,2003:post-6a00d83451c0b569e201b8d12b02e6970c2015-06-20T07:15:38+01:002015-06-20T07:15:38+01:00Evamaria Wieser will rejoin the jury table in Berlin today and tomorrow after her few days in Kiev and Moscow. The list today has 75 names on it, with another 75 tomorrow. We will be in conclave from 10 am...BD

Evamaria Wieser will rejoin the jury table in Berlin today and tomorrow after her few days in Kiev and Moscow. The list today has 75 names on it, with another 75 tomorrow. We will be in conclave from 10 am to 8pm or later...........if they all show up there is a real problem!

Meanwhile in Cardiff the Song Prize final is this evening but I will be too late to watch that live. And tomorrow the Main Prize final starts at 8:30 pm Berlin time so I may miss that too. There five finalists include Oleksiy Palchykov who was a Neue Stimmen finalist in both 2011 and 2013. But on each occasion he had to pull out because of diary clashes. He is up against stiff competition from American soprano Lauren Michelle, Mongolian baritone Amartuvshin Enkhbat, Korean bass Jongmin Park, and Belarus soprano Nadine Koutcher.